Kylian Mbappe scored a screamer and set up another goal as Real Madrid thrashed Sevilla 4-2 on Saturday to move second in La Liga above stuttering rivals Barcelona. After Atletico Madrid beat Barca on Saturday to claim top spot at Christmas, Carlo Ancelotti’s side also took advantage with a comfortable home win which leaves them a point behind the leaders. Madrid coach Ancelotti said ahead of Sevilla’s visit that Mbappe’s adaptation period had ended following his summer switch from Paris Saint-Germain and the French forward proved the coach right with a strong performance and his 14th goal of the season across all competitions.

Fede Valverde also netted a brilliant effort from range, with Rodrygo Goes and Brahim Diaz on the scoresheet for the hosts too.

Isaac Romero and Dodi Lukebakio scored for Sevilla, although they were thoroughly outplayed on veteran defender Jesus Navas’ final game for the club.

Mbappe broke the deadlock in the 10th minute as Madrid brought the ball out from the back and worked it to Rodrygo on the left flank.

The Brazilian squared to Mbappe on the edge of the area, who took one touch to control, another to set himself and with his third, smashed a fierce effort past the helpless Alvaro Fernandez.

Madrid’s second, 10 minutes later, was even better, with Valverde firing a screamer into the top corner from over 30 yards out after a short corner routine.

Ancelotti’s side were in full flow and the third followed in the 34th minute when Lucas Vazquez crossed for Rodrygo, who finished with aplomb.

Sevilla hit back within a minute, with Romero nodding home from Juanlu Sanchez’s cross after good work by Dodi Lukebakio.

Sevilla came out strongly in the second half and Romero should have added a second but fired straight at Thibaut Courtois when well placed.

Instead it was Madrid who stretched their lead, with Mbappe dinking a superb pass through for Diaz to finish clinically.

Sevilla brought on Navas after the hour mark and he was applauded by the Santiago Bernabeu, with this his 705th and final appearance for the club, far more than any other player.

Madrid and Sevilla players together gave the retiring Spanish great — a World Cup winner in 2010 and two-time Euros champion — a guard of honour at the start of the game.

Navas, 39, won four Europa Leagues and two Copa del Rey trophies with Sevilla, but his final appearance ended in disappointment for the Andalusians, who were outplayed in the Spanish capital.

Fernandez saved from Rodrygo after Mbappe rounded the goalkeeper and passed the ball back to his Brazilian strike-partner, as Madrid looked for a fifth.

Lukebakio pulled one back late on for Sevilla as Madrid were able to finish an impressive year, in which they became Spanish and European champions, with a good result.

Spanish champions Real Madrid earned a 3-0 win over Real Valladolid in La Liga on Sunday as Kylian Mbappe made his Santiago Bernabeu bow without finding the net. The French striker played at home for the first time in a Madrid shirt but was largely frustrated by Valladolid’s defence. Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde opened the scoring with a low deflected free-kick after 50 minutes and substitutes Brahim Diaz and debutant Endrick struck late on.

Madrid created little in the first half but did enough after the break to earn their first win of the season, following an opening draw at Real Mallorca.

Still lacking fluency in attack, Carlo Ancelotti’s side stayed two points behind rivals Barcelona, who beat Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

Ancelotti brought in Arda Guler for the injured Jude Bellingham, expected to miss a month with a calf problem.

Real Valladolid were the only team in the division to keep a clean sheet in their opening fixture and from the start they set out to frustrate the champions.

Darwin Machis had a deflected effort whistle narrowly wide but otherwise it was all hands to the pump in defence for the visitors.

Aurelien Tchouameni fired over from long range as Madrid dominated possession without threatening in the Spanish capital’s summer heat.

Madrid came out with more bite in the second half and soon took the lead.

Valverde smashed home a vicious low free-kick with the help of a deflection to break the deadlock.

Madrid should have doubled their lead but Rodrygo misplaced his pass with Vinicius waiting in the middle ready to score.

Mbappe blew a golden opportunity to get off the mark when Vinicius cut the ball across to him, but Estonian goalkeeper Karl Hein saved well.

The France captain had another chance on the counter-attack but fired well wide before being replaced by 18-year-old Brazilian forward Endrick.

Mbappe made his dream switch to Madrid this summer at the end of his Paris Saint-Germain contract after years of links. He scored on his debut in a UEFA Super Cup triumph.

In La Liga, Mbappe has failed to score in his opening two matches as Ancelotti works on perfecting his set-up to get the best from the club’s attacking stars.

Diaz secured Madrid’s win with a neat lobbed finish after running on to a long ball from defender Eder Militao in the 88th minute.

In stoppage time the Spanish playmaker teed up Endrick who drilled home at the near post to celebrate his first appearance for the club in style.

Later Sunday Atletico Madrid host last season’s surprise package Girona among other fixtures.